


The story so far

by DrowningDutchman



Category: Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Genre: M/M, The Best Couple, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:34:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningDutchman/pseuds/DrowningDutchman
Summary: At first, he did not even notice his feelings towards the new young soldier in his company change into something different. He had thought he had been able to bury all those kinds of feelings deep down inside a long time ago, but it seems that in the end he could no longer hide it or even help it.
Relationships: Freddy Finkel/Captain Klenzendorf
Comments: 15
Kudos: 150





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to post this in multiple chapters wen the word document reached eight pages. I just wanted to write some short nce stuff about K and Freddy because they are the purest couple.
> 
> Now I'm eight word pages in and only reached te beginning of the movie. 
> 
> Woop Woop. There's probably going to be three chapters <3 
> 
> Excuse my shit writing.

At first, he did not even notice his feelings towards the new young soldier in his company change into something different. He had thought he had been able to bury all those kinds of feelings deep down inside a long time ago, but it seems that in the end he could no longer hide it or even help it. He had to find a way to make sure the young man was not hurt in this mess of a war, he couldn’t allow the man to get hurt. He was certain the young man would never feel the same but making sure he was okay would be enough for him. His name was Freddy, at least that is what he liked to be called. He was smitten, but he tried to keep those feelings hidden as that was required.

Something interesting came up however, something he did not see coming. One of the other soldiers in his company came over to talk to him. They were stationed just outside of a small town and of course, it was a bunch of trouble to keep a bunch of young men in line, so he expected to hear something sooner or later about something or other that got on one of their nerves.

“Captain Klenzendorf? Can I speak to you for a moment?” He looked up from what he was doing, which honestly was nothing important at that moment. He had a cigarette hanging from the edge of his mouth and a glass of whiskey in his hand, this was a common occurrence, so no one even mentioned it. He always shut people down anyways.

“Well, spit it out then.” He took a drag from his cigarette and the young men started speaking hesitantly.

“It’s about the new guy, I don’t know. He’s a bit strange.” The young man shifted around a bit uncomfortably, and Klenzendorf took notice.

“What do you mean?” He put his pen down and looked at the young man. The man looked at him and as Klenzendorf motioned for the young man to continue he started talking.

“Well, I don’t know what it is wit him, but he’s acting really not like a man at all. It’s more like we have a woman on duty with us which isn’t very helpful for us…” Klenzendorf just looked at the young man before pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Thank you for coming to me…can you send him over to speak to me? I will let you know what comes of it when we’re done.” The young man nodded before walking back outside.

He needed to think fast. What was he going to do? He had to let the guy know that he was not in trouble, but at the same time he had to make sure the other would try a bit harder to hide his leanings. Just to make sure he would not get in trouble. He hated this moment.

“You needed to speak to me, captain?” The door opened slowly, and the young man stepped into the makeshift office, slowly closing the door behind him.

“Yes, someone…I forget his name right now, mentioned something about you. I just wanted to make sure you’re aware of the situation.” He put his cigarette down in the ashtray he had on his desk and Freddy just seemed so scared of him. He wasn’t even yelling.

“I’m sorry I did not…I don’t mean to be like this. I don’t want to be useless I will try to help more.” He looked around the room, not knowing what to do with his eyes at this point and Klenzendorf took notice.

“Young man, it’s not that you’re not doing enough work. It’s that according to them you’re acting more like…if there was a woman on staff.” He looked at the young man and saw he was mortified at this statement.

“I’m so sorry I do not mean to be like that. I will try harder not to be like that. I will...I will just try harder sir.” At this very haphazard declaration Klenzendorf stood up and lay a hand on the young man’s shoulder

“Freddy, don’t worry too much okay? You need to just calm down. You’re going to be okay.” Klenzendorf winked quickly and pat his shoulder a bit. He could see the young man start to turn red, blushing like mad. He himself tried to hide the fact that he really liked this nice little interaction.

“Are you going to report me?” The young man looked at him and smiled a weak smile, trying to hide just how scared he was.

“I don’t see why, just take care okay? Be careful.” The young man saluted him and smiled before walking back out.

Klenzendorf sat down and pulled his hand through his hair, god that young man turned him into a complete and utter mess. He let out a long sigh and took a big, long drag from his cigarette taking a drink too. He hated that this young man made him feel this awful feeling of butterflies in his stomach, just with his being there. He took another long drag from his cigarette before pushing the butt out in the ashtray. He grabbed the glass of whiskey he had and leaned his head against his head. He really was a mess, wasn’t he? He was.

That night was only harder for him, as he lay thinking, he could not think of anything besides the way the young man blushed in that moment, or how he was just too nice for anything. Freddy did not seem made to be in the army, but he didn’t have a choice. That night he dreamt of what could be, he was ashamed of it when he woke up, but he did regard them as happy memories.

The next day Klenzendorf wrote a letter to command, stating he needed an assistant, also stating that the young soldier Finkel was the perfect possible candidate. This was his plan to make sure that Freddy would have a much lower chance to get hurt. He did not mention this, as he just mentioned the young man was performing excellently whenever he helped and therefore, he would be excellent as a permanent assistant.

He had not written the letter in time. The day after he had sent it off something happened, and not just something, the town they were stationed in was attacked. It was quick and nobody saw it coming, but in K’s eyes it was utterly preventable, and he should have seen it coming. It was likely not as effective as they wanted it to be, but some blows were dealt. Klenzendorf was caught outside, but at this moment he was not worried about himself. There was a lot of ringing in his ears, even as the attack itself had already happened and completely passed. He had come across a couple of his men who looked at him bewildered, he did not notice this. He did not notice they seemed more worried than anything. He did not notice that he was running on fumes.

“Captain?” He recognized that voice, he looked for the source of it and it took him longer than he thought it would take him. Freddy seemed to be doing very well, but he looked scared. He came running over as quickly as his legs could carry him and Klenzendorf cleared his throat.

“Are you okay, Freddy?” He pat the young man on his shoulder to try and comfort him even in the slightest. He smiled, or at least tried to, kept his hand on the other’s shoulder “I hope you are okay…”

“I…You’re asking me? You need to get to a hospital, you’re hurt…” Freddy said this while frantically trying to find someone to help him. Klenzendorf thought for a moment, reaching for his face and slowly. It felt wet, no not wet, sticky? It was sore for sure, that was a given. He looked at his hand and wasn’t even surprised it was covered in blood.

He felt himself slowly grow faint, he guessed he was actually out of energy for the moment. His vision had started to go blurry, or at least he started to notice his vision go blurry. The last conscious decision he had made was to try and sit down for a moment, even if it turned into a fall in the end.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, he was not greeted by the crumbling streets of the town the had been stationed in, but by the relatively welcoming look of a hospital ward. It was early in the morning, or late at night. He just guessed this because all the other people he even noticed around were either already sleeping or not awake yet. He had not recollection of how he had gotten there. He groaned a bit, mainly because he was groggy from waking up, and felt at the bandages on his face. At least he was alive he guessed. His things, the little amount he had, were strewn all about a chair standing next to his bed.

He tried to get up, because he really wasn’t one for just laying about., but instead he was pushed back into the bed by a nurse he did not even see coming.

“You have to stay in bed. You had a really bad day yesterday.” He grumbled a bit, he was a grown man and should decide when he wanted to get out of bed, but she was a feisty one.

“Your assistant warned me about you before. That you had been walking around with that for, god knows how long.” Klenzendorf wanted to interrupt her, he wanted to correct her that he was not just walking around with a head injury for the whole day, but he was caught off guard.

“My assistant?” He looked up at the nurse who just smiled at him in return and did not really explain what he wanted her to explain.

“Yes, I will tell him you’re awake after the doctor has looked at you. He was very worried about you, but he was a bit strange.” He lay back and smiled to himself, he was confident who she was talking about at this point. Thanking her he just lay back, waiting for what was going to come.

The Doctor’s visit was a blur, partially due to the very quick way it happened and partially because he got some bad news. It wasn’t just superficial cuts and scrapes that just bled a lot. It was deeper than that, even besides the fact it was going to scar over. He had practically lost his eye, it was still there, it still moved, but it was practically useless. He got a look at it, it was clouded over, and he didn’t even mind for himself. He was still confident in whatever he could do.

“Captain?” He was shaken from his thoughts by a voice that haunted his dreams at this point. This was the only time he felt awful about how it was going to look. “How are you doing?”

“You’re asking me? I am pretty sure I look seconds away from being a fucking corpse, don’t I?” He wasn’t actually meaning to sound so an awful. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw Freddy flinch a bit when he said it.

“You really don’t… The doctor said they are going to let you go soon because you’re going to be fine, I haven’t heard anything from command yet about it so, I am guessing you will hear soon enough.” Freddy stood at the end of the bed, hands on the edge and looking at the captain. “Seems like you just needed rest.”

“What about you then?” Freddy seemed caught off guard by the question, yet again. Klenzendorf let a small smile shine through at the thought that this young man was never going to encounter a question that would not catch him off guard.

“I’m fine. I am just a bit bruised…” Freddy looked at him and there was something in that smiled that melted his him right into the bed. The young man seemed to genuinely care about him, which was weird as the only thing he had ever done was yell commands his way.

“Assistant?” Freddy blushed and quickly made up some excuse that he wanted to make sure he was okay and that it was just for the kompanie to make sure they were informed on his situation. The nurse came in and Freddy turned to look at him

“Sorry, there’s a telegram that came in for the captain.” He looked from the nurse to Freddy and thought for a moment.

“Finkel, would you please read it for me? I can’t very well right now.” His idea was right that the young man was never going to not be caught off guard by a question. The young man nodded and took the piece of paper from the nurse before she walked in.

“Your proposal has been approved. After the last day especially. You are relieved of your front duties. To help Jugend. Full orders will follow.” The captain grumbled to himself as Freddy shifted a bit looking around a bit. “What does any of that mean? For you I mean.”

“For one, it feels like I am being demoted. You’re also my assistant, Finkel.” Freddy looked at him and blushed. The captain just smiled a bit, Freddy made him feel better just by being here.

“Why? I’ve not really done anything exceptional. I’m just a random soldier, why me?” Captain Klenzendorf tried to find an answer. He couldn’t find one, so he just shrugged and lay back in the bed closing his eyes.

“You don’t have to accept of course. I mean, I’m a crippled fuck now so I would not blame you for leaving me to my shit.” He said this laying in the bed just not looking at the other, avoiding this confrontation as long as he could.

“I never said I didn’t accept. Of course, I do.” He smiled and Klenzendorf could tell he was smiling even if he wasn’t looking at him.

* * *

It took a couple of days before they got to Falkenheim and got settled. It was not a job he ever signed up for. He was now no longer in charge of his own company or even at the front, he was stuck in this small town and supposed to take care of the local Jugend and Jungvolk chapters. So, now he was going to have to help in the indoctrination of these young kids, and technically turn them against himself.

As they were setting up the office, he was sitting at his desk for a moment just thinking about what was going to happen. Looked through some of the papers that were already on the desk, rereading the letter that detailed what he was supposed to be doing here.

“Hey, Captain K? The office is coming together nicely.” Freddy stepped into the office looking around, smiling at the quite nice décor they had gone for.

“Oh yes, Finkel. Close the door behind you for a moment and come, here will you?” He looked at him and again, Freddy seemed caught of guard. The young man closed the door and nervously walked over to him.

“Yes, sir? Did I do something wrong?” He held his own hands, fidgeting nervously about what was going to come of this. The captain got up and walked over to Freddy.

“No, you did nothing wrong don’t worry. You worry too much Freddy.” He smiled and looked at the young man who blushed like mad at what he said “You really do. Did I ever tell you why I wanted you to be my assistant?” 

Freddy shook his head, looking at the other and back down to his hands to try and hide that he was blushing a lot at this point in time.

“I chose you, because I didn’t want to see you hurt. Then of course because of my apparent negligence this attack happened so I failed that before I even tried, but we can’t win every time can we.” He looked at the young man who seemed confused at this statement, not knowing where it was going to do. He slowly grabbed the young man’s hand and smiled. “You seemed so worried that I would report you. I just wanted to get you out of that situation.”

“What do you mean?” Freddy looked at their hands. Slowly entangling his fingers with the other’s even more. He thought he may have started to get his hopes up for what was going to happen next. “I don’t…I don’t think I fully understand, sir.”

“Well, I think you do understand, because you’re not stupid.” He looked deep into the other’s eyes and smiled “You know exactly what I mean. It’s not weird, you’re not weird.”

“Captain, you know this is dangerous.” Freddy seemed scared, but K just looked at him and chuckled at his hesitance.

“Trust me, no one will know. You and I both know the Reich is crumbling. They’re going to have other things to worry about. I promise, we will be careful. I’ve got these big lockable doors here to start with.” He smiled holding Freddy’s hand and looking deep into his eyes again, this young man really did turn him into a mess did he not?

Without any words Freddy had his arms around him, just holding onto him. Nothing else was going on at this moment, just them enjoying each other’s company. Just feeling the butterflies make a mess of everything. Just holding on to this small moment of bliss in this mess of a war that was going to be the death of both of them. He had just expected that death to come sooner.

They were rudely interrupted from this moment by a knock on the big doors and they quickly let go of each other looking at the door. Klenzendorf cleared his throat and told whoever was at the other side of the door to come in while Freddy made himself look busy. The door opened to reveal a plump woman.

“Hello captain, I have come to assist in helping with the youths.” K nodded looking back at Freddy who looked at the woman with this utterly offended look. They had been together like this for just a minute and he was already getting weirdly defensive, it was honestly adorable.

“Oh yeah, command mentioned a secretary. Your desk is set up in the main room. This is Sub-officer Finkel, he’s my direct assistant.” The woman nodded and Freddy turned back to do whatever he was trying to look busy with.

“You have come at a perfect time. Sign-ups for the training weekend have already concluded and it’s happening next week. Get to teach the children the right mindset.” She smiled a bit too much, this only told K that she really believed in what they were doing, and it was going to be important to keep whatever they had from her, however she also at the same time seemed dense enough that she would not notice.

“Thank you, we’ve finished setting up the office, tomorrow we will start our full duties here. You are relieved for today, we’ll finish up here.” She nodded and left again, and they soon heard the click of the big front door echo trough the building.

“Why though? Captain?” K looked at him and smiled softly, he sat down at his desk again and motioned across the room.

“Why not? I’m going to die anyways. We’re going to lose the war and they’ll string me up for being German and well, captain in the army. If not that they’re going to one day figure that side out and string me up for that. On the other hand, if by some miracle we win the war, I will be stringed up all the same.” He poured himself a glass of whiskey and took a swig “Whoever wins, I die. So, why not have some fun with it? Also, you don’t have to keep calling me captain when it’s just us you know. Kurt is fine.”

“I didn’t see that coming.” He smiled and sat down in his chair next to K’s. He looked over at him and K met his eyes, he was smiling. “Why me though? Besides anyone else turning you over to your command. Why?”

“I don’t know. Hell, if I fucking know why I’m not just normal. You’re cute Freddy…” He took a sip from his glass of whiskey again. “I think it’s not something we can really help happening. If I understood it, I would not be in the army.”

Freddy chuckled at what he said, it wasn’t that funny even, but he could not help it. He was happy like this, even K seemed just happy. It was a very depressing outlook to have, that they were going to die no matter what. He smiled as he held the other’s hand.

“Now I’m going to have to end up being in this fucking hell hole, indoctrinating these kids into even wanting to kill me. Can you imagine standing up there, telling these kids the country is not going to shit. Telling these children, we’re doing just fine and not starting to get driven back? Telling the older ones, they’ll soon be fighting for a good cause.” He took a cigarette from his holder, lighting it and looking at Freddy for a moment

“So, I’m guessing I’m coming along on this weekend?” K smiled and blew out a big cloud of smoke. He nodded slowly closing his eyes for a moment.

“I’m not going to already leave you for a whole weekend. Also, you’re still my assistant, so yes you’re coming.” He put his cigarette down in the ashtray for a moment and motioned for Freddy to come and sit closer. As Freddy stood up K pulled him to sit in his lap, Freddy yelped at the sudden motion but smiled looking at the other

“That came out of nowhere.” Freddy smiled and put his arms around the other, smiling. Captain K just smiled and held on to the other. “I think I like it. I can get used to this.”

“Not too much though. Only when people can’t just see us, because I am not planning to get strung up in the town square quite yet.” He grabbed the cigarette again from the ashtray, resting his free hand on Freddy’s back. Freddy just smiled at him looking at him like he was the only person in the world. K could get used to this feeling, he had never expected this to be in the cards for him, it just didn’t happen. Especially with the Nazis running things, they were one of the groups that were marked for death in their ideology. Luckily this was much easier to hide as they weren’t registered anywhere as being homosexual. It wasn’t something that was complicated to hide from the right people.

He put out his cigarette in the ashtray and put his other hand also on Freddy’s back. Freddy was still just smiling at him and chuckled a little. He moved his hands to have Freddy lean in a bit, leaning a bit closer himself. As their lips met, K felt the whole world just disappear around them. They were alone in this moment. Just them, no war, no Nazis, no problems, just them.

He had no idea how much time had passed when the kiss end, but K could not help smiling. He held the other close to himself.

“This is nice, K. You taste like smoke and whiskey, I like it.” Freddy smiled at him ever so sweetly. K could really do nothing but look at the other. “Should we leave?”

“Probably. If you pack a bag, you can always come and stay at my place if you want.” Freddy smiled and slowly moved off of his lap and he could not help but feel disappointed it had to end so fast.

“Of course, I’ll meet you there…” Freddy smiled, taking his coat from the hook on the door and looked back. He winked and left, leaving K to be sitting in his office just thinking about what happened. He noticed he was still smiling like an idiot. He followed soon, leaving for home.

* * *

His new home was strange, it felt strange. It probably used to belong to someone they put on the trains and was never seen again. That idea made him uncomfortable as he would likely be relegated to that same fate if anyone found out. Even though they had been here for nearly a week, it still hadn’t quite sunk in. He hung his coat on the hooks near the door, took his boots off and went to put on some music before he went to prepare some food.

He seemed to have impeccable timing as just as the food finished there was a knock on the door. He turned off the fire and went to open the door, being greeted by Freddy holding his army bag.

“You’re right on time, just put your shit down in the hall for now. I made dinner.” Freddy was slightly confused, but put his things down and followed K. He was getting quite hungry, even if he had not noticed.

They ate dinner and talked about nothing in particular. Their lives before the war, what they wished to happen after and even though both of them realised they were likely not going to make it out of this war, thinking about it was nice.

“You know, I don’t exactly expect this…as in us, being accepted anywhere any time soon.” K sighed and looked at Freddy “It’s maybe something too much, especially with this whole mess. Too much to wish for.”

“Maybe, but I like thinking about it. K, I just want to think about what could be.” He smiled and looked at K “Just imagine, one day, in the far future, it could be possible. We would probably not even get old enough to see it anyways but imagine people like us could be together and no one would care at all.”

“It sounds like a nice idea. I hoped it would be sooner, so we could benefit from it, but neither the yanks, nor the soviets, nor anyone seems to really look favourable at it. It’s going to take a long time.” Freddy just looked at his food, eating slowly and K looked at him. “However. That doesn’t mean I care about you any less. You are amazing and I am very glad you’re even here.”

As they finished dinner, washed the dishes together with the curtains drawn to make sure no one would see them and cleaned up, K took the liberty of bringing Freddy’s things to the bedroom, even with the protests from him. When they got upstairs and settled, they got ready and just go to bed together. They just appreciated the company, just appreciated the warmth of each other. Freddy fell asleep quickly enough, K was left for a moment to just hold him. Just lay here in this moment he had never expected to come.


	2. The Middle

The next week passed in a blur. The two of them got more and more like just any regular German couple, even if both of them were men. They hated that they had to sneak around and everything, but at home they got to pretty much be like any regular couple. No one even questioned why the doors to K’s office were often closed while Freddy was inside. As far as anyone knew they were just going to be discussing strategies for the city or any other business as Freddy was just his assistant. No one wondered why Freddy often came over to the Captain’s house, as they in their eyes were just working hard.

Besides this he was preparing as he had to now lead a camp for the kids of the Deutsches Jungvolk. He did not so much mind that part, what he did mind however was the sheer indoctrination he knew was going to happen, including against people like himself and Freddy. He decided that if he could even slowly change one child’s mind, he had done what he could.

The camp was going to be set up where, as there was not nearly enough adult supervision, there would also be some older Hitler jugend children supervising. They were children. No older than sixteen, because at sixteen they would be swooped up to fight in the war. These children were also scary, as they were completely ruined by all the propaganda, even if they could not be to blame.

The night before they were going to leave for the camp K was just sitting with Freddy. They were just enjoying the little time they had before they were likely going to be watched closely every second of the day. Freddy was leaning against him, head on his shoulder, eyes closed. Both just taking in the moment.

“Freddy? Are you still awake?” Freddy nodded, thinking about what to say, but K was faster to speak. “Are you worried about the camp?”

“Not so much what’s going to happen, but more so the fact we have to pretend.” K laughed at this. Freddy could not help but look offended, but K was laughing.

“Freddy, we always pretend. We pretend to be normal. We pretend to not be completely messed up, yet here we are.” He smiled and grabbed Freddy’s chin with his hand. “Here we are, a complete mess. However, we’re a mess together.”

K smiled and kissed Freddy on the nose, who blushed like crazy. Freddy hid in K’s shirt to the best of his abilities. K smiled and pat the young man on the back, telling him he’s okay.

“You’re great. You’re too nice.” Freddy smiled and took his head out of the other’s shirt. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Of course, you don’t deserve a cripple who got demoted because of it, but I’m the best you’re going to do.” K stood up to go and looked back at Freddy “Will you come and help your crippled man to pack the last thing before we go and teach kids how to blow stuff up?”

Freddy quickly stood up and smiled, following K quickly to the room where the last things they had to get for the trip were in. It was just their bedroom as Freddy had practically moved in. He had not really seen his own home a lot and he disliked being home alone anyways. He just wanted to be with him as much as possible.

They put the last things down by the door and K grabbed Freddy to hold him close. Freddy again was caught of guard but relaxed soon.

“We should however, make the most of tonight.” K smiled and kissed him, holding him close against him. “Because if we can’t technically just be together this weekend, we’ll make up for it now and when we get back.”

“Of course, I can’t wait…We will make this weekend fun even if it really isn’t.” Freddy smiled and kissed K without even a hint of hesitation.

“Yes, a weekend with a bunch of little shits who will turn use in to the Gestapo if they figure out what our relationship really is like. Sounds like fun.”

“You know what I mean.” K nodded and kissed the other’s nose. He knew exactly what Freddy meant and maybe they could actually make it fun. He held him and just looked at him for a while. He hated knowing that this wouldn’t last, but he cared so deeply for this man.

“So, how about that last night of limited freedom? You know if you ignore the fact the curtains always have to be closed and if anyone finds out, both of us are dead?” Freddy rolled his eyes and turned around to walk to the bedroom, K followed suit.

“You’re lucky I like you as much as I do.” As they entered Freddy closed the bedroom door behind them for the last time for a while.

* * *

K tried to comfort Freddy as much as he could on the drive over, it was hard as every lingering touch and every moment their gazes met for too long would likely be considered suspicious. He felt he had to comfort Freddy, even if it likely was not necessary and he was more comforting himself. As they arrived and helped to set stuff up for the camp both of them just felt weird having to sneak around like they did, maybe they had been spoiled with the dark curtains and big lockable doors, maybe they had gotten sloppy.

As the camp got set up and the kids started arriving K and Freddy stood at the edge of the forest looking at the scene.

“So, how many of these kids will the Reich throw into the war effort if possible?” K looked at Freddy and raised an eyebrow. He looked back at the group of young boys and girls and sighed

“They already have all of them. We’re going to teach them everything they need to know to be good little war machines. Generally blowing stuff up, but of course they will also need to learn who to hate.”

“Which is us.” Freddy whispered this, mostly to himself and K nodded.

“People like us, Jews, Yanks, Brits, Russians. Whoever and whatever is not on our side honestly.” He smiled and put his hand on Freddy’s back for a moment. “Time to go.”

As all the children were assembled in the field and the older supervising kids were standing off the side K took his place on the stand, grabbing an apple on the way over. It took a while before the kids were apparently ready to pay attention. He tossed the apple and had a little speech about…something. Something about knives they had gotten, something about blowing stuff up and of course someone, mainly Freddy, had talked him into showing off to get the kids on his side. There was something about not stabbing each other and something about how the Reich was crumbling. The kids did not notice and neither did the others there.

The day was eventful to say the least, besides one of the kids throwing a knife so beautifully it landed into the leg of one of the other boys, he was getting briefed on the day’s events. The woman, Fraulein Rahm, had just let him know they would be burning books later and K knew he was right to pack those four bottles of whiskey. He would be better just spending the weekend drunk. He got a short time with Freddy and this was when he started drinking for the day, even if it was only noon.

“We’re really going to be burning books?” K nodded and took a swig from his flask offering it to Freddy who quickly took it.

“Yep, it’s going to be awful.” He smiled and looked at Freddy taking the flask back, taking another swig. “You don’t have to be there. You know, you can just stay in the tent. I have to go just to make sure the kids don’t light each other on fire, which I could easily see happening.”

Freddy snorted at what he said and looked at him. Looking back over at the field and shaking his head.

“Well, just have some fun while you can. Next time we get together is probably tonight.” Freddy smiled and looked over at K.

“I’ll see you tonight then…This sucks.” K handed him the flask again and Freddy took a greedy gulp. “Let’s make the best out of it.”

K took his flask back quickly before Freddy could run off with it, making sure to tell him to not worry as he took enough drink to be blackout drunk until the end of the weekend. Freddy chuckled at that and smiled at him longingly before he ran off to do whatever he was going to do. The guy was going to be the death of him someday, and if it would not be in the heat of the war, it was going to be him dying because his heart beat right through his chest.

The night was as awful as he knew, he had noticed over the day one of the boys getting a bit singled out but to kids, lighting things on fire was about the best thing to ever to. It was fun to them and he was sure none of them noticed he was just trying to drink himself into a stupor. As the boys and girls ended being herded into their tents K stumbled back to his own tent. He was not as drunk as he wanted to be at this point. He came to a stop when he opened the tent and saw Freddy looking at him. K went in and lay down with Freddy just staring at the top of the tent.

“I thought you would be sleeping.” Freddy turned to him, laying his head on K’s chest listening to his heartbeat.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Freddy closed his eyes a bit and smiled. “You smell like Whiskey and smoke…I like it.”

Freddy held on to the other and smiled, all the while K wondered if they were going to far. If they were taking it too easy as at this moment the one thing standing between them being like this and them getting strung up in the town square was the thin fabric of the canvas tent, they were laying in.

“You seemed very excited today, I must say.” Freddy chuckled into K’s chest. Not being able to stop himself from laughing for a while

“Yeah, I think I’m just bad about hiding how much I like being around you.” He looked up at him and smiled, this exact moment made both of them happy. “What’s on for tomorrow?”

“Teaching children how to throw grenades around.” K said this very bluntly and Freddy couldn’t help but laugh at the statement.

“Now, what are we really doing? Because that’s the dumbest idea ever.” He smiled and quickly kissed him on the cheek, noticing K was completely serious. “Oh shit, really?”

“Yes, really? It’s got ‘bad idea’ and ‘someone is going to blow themselves up’ written all over it, but according to everyone the kids ‘need to learn’ and ‘have to be prepared.’ It’s a mess. At least you’re here.” He pulled Freddy closer to him and kissed the top of his head, inhaling the smell of the young man’s hair. It smelled like heaven to him. Freddy started slowly drifting off to sleep and K followed close behind.

* * *

The next day was even more of a mess than anything they could have expected to come from this. The Jugend supervisors, were utter shitheads. At least that is what K made of them. These children, which they were, were cruel. He didn’t raise a stink when the kid they had started to bully did not show up for the grenade exercise. He was standing on the cover the kids had and took a swig from his flask, showing the kids what to do. When it came time for them to try throwing the grenades however, the volunteer Freddy appointed did not get close to getting to do it. Instead of that Jojo, the kid who did not show up, suddenly came sprinting out of the woods. K was honestly caught off guard for once as the kid grabbed the grenade. At this point K really did not know what to do, the kid had already run a bit further and he was just standing there, staring at the scene.

It turned out this child proved why having children handle explosive devises is a bad idea. The kid continued on his trajectory, but instead of tossing the grenade away he threw it against a tree, and it bounced back. The kid practically blew himself up.

“Don’t do that.” K said this mainly out of sheer confusion. He was not sure what to do at this situation as he had never had to deal with a child blowing himself up with a grenade before. Freddy didn’t seem to like the comment and just looked offended. K shook his head for a second and ran over to check on the kid. Getting rid of the young boy’s friend who was just screaming. K had seen worse, but not much worse.

K realized the boy’s mother was going to probably want to murder him in the worst way possible. Getting strung up for gross negligence was not what he expected to be his ending. The boy was brought into hospital and K just knew the kid was probably feeling awful, poor thing.

Klenzendorf was happy enough he wasn’t strung up for gross negligence, but it felt very much like another demotion as now he was apparently to be on permanent ‘take care of the kids’ duty. Which seemed strange to him considering on his watch a child blew himself up. Why he was made to work with them every day, made no sense to him. At least it meant he was home again, with Freddy.

“I’ve got strudel. I don’t know the occasion, but I think you could use something to cheer up with.” Freddy was always right when it came to things like this, even if he himself was enough to cheer K up. Freddy gave him a piece before putting the box away for a moment. K grabbed the plate and a small fork taking a bite and smiling.

“It’s very good.” Freddy looked at him with a small smirk. Telling K to thank him and of course he did. It was actually good strudel.

“Maybe I’ll grab a piece myself then.” K shook his head and walked over to him. Freddy was teasing him, and he knew it. He knew how to get back at him.

“No, come you can have a piece of mine. Open up.” He smiled and offered up a piece to Freddy, just slightly out of reach from where he was standing. At the point it probably looked the weirdest to an outsider the doors opened and as K turned, he could feel Freddy’s disappointment. It was audible even if he wasn’t making any noise.

K moved quickly when he noticed who had entered. It was the mom of the boy who blew himself up, Rosie Betzler. She was fierce and he wasn’t just saying that because as they met, she kicked him hard where no man should be kicked. He could nearly hear Freddy flinch. She practically ordered him to get the kid something to do as she had a job to do. K reluctantly agreed, but honestly having the child do something for him, he could try and make the kid think a bit more like a child instead of a soldier.

* * *

“So, you admit you actually like the kid. Kind of.” Freddy asked this as soon as he closed the door to K’s house. He was teasing him, that in the time he had started leading this troop of young shits he had actually started to care about one of them. “Is it because he got hurt?”

“Yes, because we’re both useless cripples.” He sighed and motioned for Freddy to come and sit next to him. The war started to look more and more like a certain loss even if it had never looked like something they could win. “Freddy, we need to talk about something and no, don’t worry it’s nothing.”

“What is it?” He smiled and decided that he was going to hold on to K as tight as he could. “Because I am not letting go.”

“I’ve noticed something. Something bad. I want you to tell me I’m an idiot and looking too much into things before I talk myself into doing something extra dangerous.” Freddy looked at him worried

“What’s going on?” Freddy kissed him to try and lighten the mood, but it did not seem to help.

“You know how the kid is saying he is writing this book? Saying how he’s got information on Jews and how he’s done research.” Freddy nodded slowly, not quite getting what he was saying. “None of what this kid is saying is the normal propaganda they put out.”

“You’re not selling the kid and his family out for harbouring Jews to get us out of this mess and together in Switzerland or something.” Freddy looked at him mad and K just shook his head.

“That’s not where I was going to go with this. I was going to say, we should keep an eye on him. I’ve been hinting at him that he’s stepping out of line and saying things people don’t say, but I don’t know exactly what this kid thinks. Also, I never said his family was harbouring anyone.” Freddy smiled again lining up his shirt and slowly moving K’s suspenders out of the way.

“So, what you’re saying is you want to help?” He looked at Freddy and he just smiled like he was actually waiting for an answer.

“Freddy, look. The two of us, what we have, is already illegal. It’s not like we can be strung up in the town square twice.” Freddy suddenly kissed him and smiled.

“Right answer. However, we’re not going to do anything that will kill us before the end of the war. I want to see the end of this thing holding your hand. Wearing the outrageous outfits, we talked about.” Freddy kissed him and started unbuttoning K’s shirt. “You’re a great person, don’t you dare say otherwise.”

“I’m an awful human being, a crippled man, who works for a regime that would kill me if they knew who I care about most in the world.” He smiled and put his hand to the other’s face, stroking his thumb slowly over the others cheek “However, I have a partner in crime who is so great, he just makes it, so we are one neutral human being.”

“I hate you.” Freddy smiled and kissed him again. “You seem to never listen to me, maybe I need to start re-evaluating my choice of lovers.”

“I’m sorry, you’re stuck with me. It’s too short notice for you to find someone else before the war ends.” Freddy laughed and kissed him again.

“Don’t worry, since you taste of whiskey all the time, I’m already addicted.” K chuckled and held the other against him. He was really happy they even crossed paths to begin with.

* * *

Klenzendorf was intrigued that people really did not seem to notice any of the quite obvious things he did with Freddy, maybe the looming end of the war was getting to people and they did not have time to think of what two random men were doing with their lives.

They had picked something up down the street and Freddy was now firmly planted on the back of his bicycle, holding him tight. There was an excuse of course, as Freddy should not just be falling off of the bicycle.

As they rode down the street, they noticed a group of Gestapo officers gong into a house. K recognized the house and stopped, telling Freddy to get off and stabbing the back tire of the bicycle with the knife he kept in his boot.

“What was that for?” Freddy looked at him and decided that when K picked up the bicycle and started running, he was supposed to just follow along.

K walked through the door and it was seemingly just in time as the Gestapo had not been able to get past the front room yet. K interrupted them announcing the bicycle tire was flat and Freddy just looked very annoyed at him for a flash, but quickly just stared down the Gestapo officers.

K made up a story of having to drop of pamphlets and looked at the boy for a second. He always felt uncomfortable around the Gestapo as he thought they knew every time they looked at him. Like they could honestly tell both how he was a homosexual man standing next to his practically boyfriend and of course, the exact length of rope needed to hang him in the town square.

He followed the lead of them when they went upstairs, just to make sure it would be fine. As the Gestapo looked around and asked about the boy’s knife had K noticed it was gone, how long had it been gone? A girl stepped out, to say she had it. K looked from her, to Jojo, to nothing in particular. He stepped in closer and when the Gestapo asked for her papers. He himself stuck out his hand to check the papers. She looked for them frantically and hesitantly handed them over. He took them and flipped them open asking her for something about the picture and then her date of birth.

“May 1st 1929…” He looked at the papers for a moment. He then looked back at her, she was wrong. He knew she was wrong, but for whatever reason he could not say so.

“Correct…” He nearly had a heart attack when the Gestapo seemed to want the papers and as they read through Jojo’s book the girl was covering for and they made to leave he handed the papers back. “Get a new photo, you look like a ghost in this one.”

He bid them farewell and as they left, K carrying the bicycle, Freddy holding the bag, he walked faster. Freddy seemed to be having a tough time keeping up with him and especially when he noticed they were not going to the office, but K’s home. They went inside and K put the bicycle in the hall and before Freddy could make it in very far K had come back with a bottle of Whiskey.

“What’s wrong? Why are we here? Why the whiskey? Why were you walking so fast, I am not as fast as you.” Freddy just looked at him as he took a big gulp from the bottle. Klenzendorf just looked at Freddy for a second, kissing him up against the wall. Freddy couldn’t complain, but he was confused.

“Kurt, please tell me what’s going on?” Freddy looked at him and smiled because he still was getting kissed, but he pressed on to know what was going on. “Please, tell me.”

Klenzendorf cleared his throat and looked at him. He had lied to the Gestapo which, if they found out, was going to be the death of them no matter if they found out about the homosexuality before. He cleared is throat and looked deep into Freddy’s eyes.

“May 7th.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, chapter two. 
> 
> I still suck, but I am making this shit work.
> 
> Something else that happened in the meantime, I officially graduated between the last chapter upload and this one. 
> 
> I am supposed to be an adult now, yet I am here writing fanfiction about Fredd Finkel and Captain K.


	3. The end

Klenzendorf could not decipher exactly what Freddy was thinking. He looked deep in thought and it worried him greatly. He did not want him to be worried and especially not this much and especially not this close to the end of the war.

“So, I want to know if I am right. Stop me if I’m wrong okay?” Klenzendorf agreed and Freddy continued on. “So, you lied to a gestapo officer. To protect a young girl you don’t know, because she was hiding in a young boy’s house, because you feel like the kid is actually seeing the cracks in the regime? Without any actual evidence?”

“Oh yes, you’re pretty much exactly right.” He wasn’t sure how Freddy would react. If he would be mad at him for pretty much putting their lives in imminent danger, or if he would be happy that he was caring about these children more than he did before.

“Are you happy with your decision?” K did not expect this. He did not expect that Freddy would not just judge him, but he was happy he didn’t.

“Of course. It was spur of the moment, but I do not at all regret it. Even in the slightest.” Freddy smiled and kissed him, K just leaned in, happy that he was with the young man.

“Then I agree, but please, next time, don’t do it in a way that is going to get us killed. We got out of this one pretty well.” Freddy kissed him and rested his hand on the other’s chest. They were so close to being a real couple. He just held on to this moment for as long as he could, and even though the town outside was crumbling they were happy for a moment.

“It’s not like it’s my first time telling lies to the gestapo. What we do in our free time isn’t exactly something they would allow if told them.” K looked at Freddy and Freddy snorted at the comment.

“Not disclosing our sex life is not specifically lying. I mean, we’re not saying we’re not doing it either.” K grabbed the glass of whiskey he had on the table and took a sip.

“Freddy, you’re great, but I still don’t think that’s how it works.” Freddy grinned and kissed him right after he took a sip. “mmm, missing some smoke.”

K smiled and kissed Freddy again. They were just like any other couple in his mind, they just weren’t allowed to show it. He wished he could just show Freddy off to the world, to everyone he could find. Just show him off to show how amazing this young man was.

* * *

The place was crumbling and both Klenzendorf and Freddy realized this. They got this last time during the war as an actual couple. No more hiding. Not that anyone noticed. The war was going to end soon enough, and the Americans and Russians were going to take over. They would at the very least kill Klenzendorf and likely Freddy too. This meant that both if the Germans somehow won and if the Allies won, they would be dead. If Germany won, they would find out about the homosexuality and hang them for being degenerates. If the allies won, they would be shot as German soldiers.

In the last moments of the war they stopped closing the curtains when they were at home together. They stopped trying to play it safe. Freddy even stopped pretending he was going to his own house. People were too busy preparing for the end to care what two men looked like they were doing, even if it was still technically illegal.

They decided that if they were going to go out soon anyways, they were going to go out with there being no possible mistake about who they were to each other. The uniforms they adjusted were honestly egregious, but it was going to be a statement. They were going to wear the symbols that would denote them as the other. K really knew they were going to die anyways. They could not possibly win in this situation, so why not stick it to the man once again.

Freddy was washing the dishes in the kitchen, glancing outside every now and then to the people scrambling to get things done. “So, K, when do you think their final assault will come?”

“Well, I think soon. Probably before the end of the week even.” K slid his arms around Freddy from the back, kissing him on the cheek and smiling.

“You really have stopped caring if people will even notice.” K just nodded and held him close. “They could actually still shoot us you know, even now.”

“They won’t. People are too busy to notice, too scared of the impending battle. Too worried about themselves to notice what two men are doing behind closed doors together.” K smiled, resting his head on Freddy’s shoulder. For a moment he just felt total bliss. “If we get to be a couple because of it, just like any man and woman, I will take it.”

Freddy smiled at the idea and then sighed at a realisation that followed soon after. “Yes, but that will only be for a few days at most. I want to be with you longer.”

“It’s not just a few days. It’s the rest of our lives, and I promise that in whatever comes after I will also be with you. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a time where this is okay. Then we’ll meet again and live the life we should have been able to. We’ll meet each other again for the first time. Fall in love again. Be the normal couple we should be.” K kissed Freddy on the cheek intermittently while saying all this. He felt Freddy tense up for a moment an he smiled. “It will be nice.”

“I hope it can be like that some time in the future. It’s not like we chose to be like this.” Freddy was starting to get a bit riled up and K just held him close. Just holding the young man close.

“Don’t get too worked up about a future we are never going to see.” He smiled and held the other close to himself, just taking the time to be together for a while. They just sat together for a while, keeping each other close in this, one of the last days they got to be like this.

“So, K, you really weren’t mad about that thing with the dogs, right? I know you said you weren’t, but…” K stopped the young man in his thought and kissed him.

“One, I can not physically be mad at you, that’s impossible. Two, of course I’m not mad, everyone makes mistakes and especially when they’re stressed. I’m happy enough you’re by my side.” The both of them just smiled, happy in the moment they were together, trying to forget the fact that it was not going to last.

* * *

The days until the allied attack were few and now it was coming any moment. They knew the attack would be today and they knew the war would be over today as well. Klenzendorf closed the jacked of his uniform and smiled, exactly like he wanted it to look, honestly egregious, but saying as much as he wanted it to. Freddy kissed him one last time inside that office and as the assault started, they made their way outside.

War was hell and Freddy just seemed glad K had been trying to protect him from this exact scenario in the beginning, but this time there was no hiding from the monster that was coming to roll over all of them at this point. The war was finally going to be over, so many lives lost for exactly nothing.

They were not exactly any better off now than before the war, no one was, and that was extremely tangible.

Freddy stopped him for a moment while shots were flying and buildings were collapsing, K only had eye for Freddy in this moment. K turned to Freddy to see if he was okay. “Are you hurt? Please, don’t be hurt yet.”

Freddy shook his head and without a care in the world he grabbed K into a hug. Holding him close and burying his head into the other’s chest for a moment. “K, I love you. I just need you to know that.”

“I know you do, I love you too.” He smiled and just held him for a while and for all he could care, the world was just them. It was just K and Freddy, just being together like they were meant to be. “I still promise you, that no matter what comes after this, I will come to be with you. Don’t worry.”

Freddy smiled and let go again, they continued soon enough. People did not even seem to notice they had been together like they had. They continued right on their way to do what they were supposed to, until the explosion. It was close to them and as K looked around Freddy was on the ground. He crouched down next to him and Freddy coughed for a moment, he couldn’t get up.

K tried to help, but it was in vain. He sat down with Freddy, just so he wouldn’t be alone, but he was coughing blood which was never a good sign. “This is the end.”

“Don’t worry.” Klenzendorf grabbed the young man’s hand and smiled. “I’m here. As long as you need me to.”

Freddy smiled and closed his eyes for a moment. His breathing was getting laboured and K leaned in to give him a kiss. “I love you Freddy.”

“You smell like whiskey and smoke. I love it.” Freddy smiled and his breathing slowed down until it stopped completely. K was defeated, he just got up. He did not want to leave Freddy, however he had to. He looked at him, leaving his helmet with the young man. He did not know why, but it felt as if then part of him was still with him.

Soon the war was over, the fighting didn’t last long, but K lost everything he thought he could ever fight for. Now he was sitting among men that would normally be his subordinates. Scuffed up from the battle with scars running deeper than the visible ones. For once he wasn’t even bothered by his eye, because even if he never mentioned it, he hated that he was considered broken just because of the eye. Now, he wasn’t even bothered. He was thinking for a moment when he was shaken out of his thoughts by a familiar voice.

“Captain K?” He looked up and noticed the child, Jojo. The child whose ‘sister’ he helped by lying to the gestapo. The kid that blew himself up with a grenade and survived. The kid who had started to see that whatever these people were saying was not right. What was a child doing here? Why was he wearing a tunic? He shouldn’t even be outside.

He called the kid over and knew that if the child was to stay here, this would be the death of him. K had not risked his life to just let the child die here. The kid was going to get shot if he stayed here. The child however, just looked scared. He needed and some encouragement. 

He stood the kid up and took the jugend cap off of his head, ruffling his hair a little bit. Just to make sure he didn’t look like a Nazi. He smiled and now he had to think quickly. Find a way to make sure the kid was to get out of this situation. He thought of something and it was only going to make himself look bad, but he was going to be killed anyways, since he was already here. He grabbed the hem of the tunic the boy was wearing, and he smiled.

“Take care of that sister of yours.” He said with a wink. Now he was going to do something that would hurt him a lot. He pulled the tunic off the boy, tossing it behind him while shoving the child to the floor.

Between him calling the child a Jew and telling him to get out and the confusion this kid must have felt at this moment. K’s moment of heroism in helping the child escape was met with a punch to the face and the boy screaming. He fell to the ground and not much later he was dragged away. He saw the kid kicking and screaming as he was being dragged away, but at least he was being brought to safety.

K himself wasn’t being brought to safety. He would not be remembered as a man who risked his life to save a child in the face a regime that would have killed him if they knew about who he loved.

He loved a young man who was now just another casualty to the war.

He himself was going to be remembered as nothing more than a Nazi.

He didn’t close his eyes as the men took aim as he was line up against a wall. He wasn’t afraid of death. He was going to keep that promise. He was going back to Freddy.

He was going back to the man he loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this chapter short on purpose. I did not want to drag this out too much. Sorry if you expected more, but I'm quite happy with this.


End file.
